Gauge glass apparatus



Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to water gauges, such as those, which are used onrailway locomotives.

Heretofore, efforts have been made to shield water gauges, was toprevent injury to the enginemen in the event of breakage of the gaugeglam.

- The srileding has taken the form of a metallic casing that surroundsthe gauge glass, and has a transparent panel through which the level ofthe water may be observed. In some instances, the casing has beenconnected to a drain pipe through which the water, steam and brokenglass could be drained thereby relieving the pressure in the casinguntil the valves could be closed. This connection however, in the past,has been made by telescoping sleeves, which being non-flexible had tofit loosely in order to allow for slight misalignment of the parts to beconnected.

In modern railroad practice, the gauges are inspected at regularintervals, and so to facilitate the cleaning of the panels, the gaugesgenerally have been provided with slots through which the panels couldbe slid upwardly for quick removal. The slots however, have beenobjectionable, for in order to accommodate a slight variation in thesize of the panels, it has been necessary to allow a loose fit, and theresult has been that steam and water escape into the cab around theedges of the panels whenever the water glass bursts. A furtherobjection, which has been found to exist in such panels is the fact thatthey are often blown entirely out of the gauge casing, and that theescaping steam is apt to cause injury to the engine men in their hurriedand blinded exit from the cab, or in their efforts to locate andclosethe water gauge valves.

An object of my invention is to make a gauge glass casing with pressuretight, easily removable, transparent panels, which will automaticallymake a steam tight connection to the customary drain pipe when the gaugeis positioned and coupled up ready for'use, so that no appreciableamount of steam or hot water, nor any broken glass can escape in casethe water glass breaks while the boiler is under pressure.

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of a gauge body madein accordance with my invention and showing it, as being connected tothe back head of a locomotive boiler; Figs. 2 and 3 are sections takenon the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlargedfront elevation of the gauge body adjacent one of the removable panels;Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial front elevation of a modified design ofthe removable panels, and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showinga modification of the drain pipe connection of Fig. 3.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with a locomotive boiler,which is indicated at ID, as having conduits II and I2 leading therefromfor connection to a gauge glass unit. A valve l3 controls the flowthrough conduit ll, while a valve [4 controls the flow through conduitl2. A gauge glass I5 is carried by a casing l6 and is suitably packed atthe top and bottom by stufling boxes I] and I8 respectively. The casingin turn is connected to the steam and water conduits by nuts l9 andrespectively, as is shown in Fig. 1.

The casing in the preferred arrangement has a body portion that providesa chamber 2| in which the gauge glass is located, and another chamber 22in which a lamp Z3 may be suspended. A wall 24 separates the twochambers, and has a slit 25 extending vertically wherein through whichlight may pass and be directed from the lamp onto the gauge glass. Thecasing also has machined openings for receiving glass panels and 3!, andin the preferred arrangement, it has a flange 31 which extendscompletely around each opening and thereby provides a recess into whichthe panel gaskets 33 are inserted. The depth of each flange is slightlymore than the thickness of the panel gaskets and the flanges haveprojections 32 therefrom and between which the sides of the panels aresufliciently exposed to facilitate their removal. The combined depth ofeach projection and flange is less than the combined thickness of agasket 33 and the superimposed glass panel, so that a cover plate 35 maybe drawn tightly against each panel to make a water and steam-tightjoint between the panel and the casing. Each cover plate has an aperture36 therein through which the level of the water in the gauge glass maybe observed. The cover plate is preferably wider and longer than theglam panel so as to cover the edges thereof, and is adapted to beclamped in position by nuts 40 which engage studs 4|.

To facilitate quick removal of each plate for the purpose of removingthe panels for cleaning, I provide in the form shown in Fig. 4, lugs 42on the plate adjacent the respective studs 4|. Each lug has a downwardlyextending slot 43, which is sufficient in size to admit the associatedstud, and as all of the slots open in the same direction, and as thewidth of the cover plate is less below the slots, as at 44, the coverplate may be removed after the nuts are only slightly loosened bysliding the cover plate up and to one side until the other side willswing out past the nuts. I have illustrated the members 40, as beingwing nuts, although the conventional form of nut may be used. ,The outerends of the studs are flattened after the nuts are applied to preventthe nuts being backed oif entirely.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a fragmentary view of a modified form of coverplate in which the lugs are replaced by enlarged portions 60 that havekeyhole slots 6| therein, which in the preferred arrangement areinverted, and are disposed in the same relative position on the cover,as the slots 43. The enlarged part of the keyhole slots is of suflicientsize to clear the nuts that are threaded onto the locking studs, whilethe small portions of the slots are sufilcient in size to admit only thestuds. Thus, the plate maybe readily removed merely by loosening thenuts and then raising it with reference to the casing until the studsare disposed in the enlarged part of the keyhole slots, whereupon} thecover may be withdrawn.

The water and steam which escapes Into the casing whenever the gaugeglass breaks, is

drained through the bottom of the chamber 2| through a passageway 49,which terminates in a conduit 50. Provision is made for connecting suchconduit to a drain pipe which extends down through the cab deck. It isdesirable to support the drain pipe in a fixed position which lines upthe conduits 50 and 5|, and so I have illustrated a bracket 52, which iscarried by the boiler wall, and which embraces the pipe 5!. A

1 normal outside diameter of the lower end of the hose. The overalllength of thehose is such that when assembling the gauge, the hose isfirst inserted in the sleeve and then the gauge is lowered onto the cockextension so that the connection to the drain is automatically completedwhen the bottom stufling box nut 20 is tightened. This arrangementassures a fluid tight drain joint, for any increase in pressure withinthe hose tends to expand it against the wall of the sleeve.

The flexible connection between the casing and the drain pipe isadvantageous, particularly when used in connection with fittings thatare described in my U. S. Patent 1,984,945, copending herewith, for suchfittings do not require rotation of the casing to efiect attachment tothe bottom water gauge cock. It is also advantageous in that theflexibility of the hose provides for suflicient universal movement ofthe casing with reference to the drain pipe, and thus assures a fluidtight joint therewith, regardless of any customary variation inalignment between the conduits 50 and 5| after the nuts I9 and 20 havebeen tightened.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated the flexible conduit 53, as beingpermanently connected to the conduit 5| and removably connected to theconduit 50. This is substantially the reverse of the arrangementpreviously described. In such case, the sleeve 54 is secured to or ismade a part of the conduit .50 and snugly receives the upper end of theflexible conduit.

' The use of such fluid tight panels and such a fluid tight drainconnection completely prevents the escape of any steam, broken glass orwater into the cab upon the breakage of the gauge glass,. and at thesame time facilitates quick removal of all of the parts for cleaningpurposes making a-fiuid-tight joint between the window and casing, adrain pipe apart from the casing, the end of the drain pipe adjacent thesaid casing being enlargedand having a smooth inter-ior surface, and aflexible hose having one end thereof attached to the casing adjacent thedrain opening and having the other end thereof slidably engaging thesaid enlarged interior surface of the drain pipe, that portion of thesaid hose within the drain pipe being normally slightly larger than theinterior of the drain pipe, whereby any pressure within the drain pipetends to increase the pressure between the hose and the drain pipe andto make a fluid-tight joint therebetween.

2. In a gauge glass apparatus, the combination with a tubular gaugeglass of a casing therefor, the casing having a drain opening thereinand having a second opening through which'the glass may be observed, atransparent window fitted over the second opening and hav- 1 ing agasket between it and the casing, a: cover plate having an aperturetherein and superimposed on the said window, the cover plate having aplurality of. open sided extensions thereon, 4

and fastening members associated with the casing and extensions fordetachably positioning the cover plate against the window and making afluid tight joint between the window and the casing.

3. In a gauge glass apparatus, the combination with a tubular gaugeglass of a casing therefor, the casing having a drain openingtherein andhaving a second opening through which the glass may be observed, atransparent window fitted over the second opening and having'a gasketbetween it and the casing, a cover plate having an aperture therein andsuperimposed on the said window, the cover plate having a plurality ofslots with the width of each narrowing in the same direction, andfastening members associated with the casing and the slots fordetachably positioning the cover plate against the window and making afluid tight joint between the window and the casing.

4. In a gauge glass apparatus, the combination of a hollow casing,having a drain opening, and a transparent window therein, and means formaking a fluid-tight joint between the window and casing, a drain pipeapart from the casing, the end of the casing adjacent the draintherebetween.

5. In a water gauge apparatus, the combination of a gauge glass casing,having a drain opening and a transparent window therein, a drain pipeapart from the casing, a flexible tubing connecting the drain opening tosaid pipe and means for fixing one end of said tubing to the drainopening, the other end being slidably entered and snugly fitted into thesaid drain pipe.

6; In a water gauge apparatus, the combination of a gauge glass casinghaving a drain opening and a transparent window therein, a drain pipeapart from the casing, a flexible tubing connecting the drain opening tosaid pipe, and means for fixing one end of said tubing to said pipe, theother end being slidably entered and snugly fitted into the drainopening.

7. In a water gauge apparatus, a casing adapted to sealingly house agauge glass and having transparent means through which the glass may beviewed, the combination of a tubular wall on the casing forming a drainpassage therefrom, a drain pipe apart from the casing and having atubular wall, a flexible drain tube, and means for fixing one end of thetube to one of said tubular walls in sealed relation therewith, theother end of the tube slidably and snugly telescoping the other tubularwall.

8. In a water gauge apparatus, a casing adapted and arranged tosealingly house and display a gauge glass, said casing having a tubularwall forming a drain passage for the casing, a drain pipe apart from thecasing and having a tubular wall, a flexible yieldable drain tube, meansto fixedly secure one end of the tube to one of said tubular walls, theother end being slidably entered within the other tubular wall incompressed condition.

9. In gauge apparatus, including a gauge glass and a casing surroundingthe glass in sealed relation thereto, said casing having a windowopening through which the glass may be observed, a transparent memberand cooperating means for sealing the marginal surfaces of said memberagainst the casing at the window opening, an apertured plate adapted tooverlie the transparent member and press the same against the sealingmeans, threaded members in fixed positions substantially adjacentrespective opposite margins of the plate and having axially movableclamping portions adapted to overlie and clamp the plate, the platebeing recessed to at least partially embrace the threaded members whileunderlying the clamping portions, in one position of the plate, and theplate being movable in its own plane in a manner to disengage thethreaded members including the clamping portions thereof tor removal ofthe plate, whereby the relative position of said threaded members inundisturbed in detaching the plate.

10. In gauge apparatus, including a gauge glass and a casing surroundingthe glass in sealed relation thereto, said casing having draining meansand a window opening through which the glass may be observed, atransparent member and cooperating means for sealing the marginalsurfaces of said member against the casing at the window opening, anapertured plate adapted to overlie the transparent member and press thesame against the sealing means, said plate being movable in its ownplane adjacent the transparent member, threaded members in fixedpositions substantially adjacent respective opposite margins of theplate, said plate having slots with relatively open and restrictedportions receiving said threaded members, locking members associatedwith the threaded members and overhanging the plate adjacent therelatively restricted slot portions in one position of the plate andaligning with the relatively open slot portions in another position ofthe plate to permit removal of the plate without removing the lockingmembers.

FRANK H. ROBY. D

